Growing up, you probably learned that almost every green food is good for you. Whether it’s a fruit or a vegetable, adding a green food to your diet can give your body the nutrients and vitamins it needs to stay in top shape.
The problem, however, is that not all fruits and vegetables taste great. Some have a bit of a bitterness to them, making them less desirable to eat. As a result, many develop an aversion to green food altogether.
Now, if you are one of these people, a mean green juice can spell good news for you. Being lighter than smoothies and containing a wide range of ingredients, this drink can change the way you think about fruits and vegetables.
Green Juice Diet Ingredients
Before we get to the actual recipes, let’s first break down the most common ingredients found in a green juice diet.
Kale
Considered as a superfood, kale is full of potassium, manganese, iron, calcium, copper and phosphorus, all of which are essential for your eyes, bone, skin and overall wellbeing. It is also loaded with vitamins A and C.
Cucumber
Cucumber doesn’t just add a great flavor to your green juice cleanse recipe – it actually has an effect on your cholesterol and electrolyte levels. It is also good at keeping your blood pressure within the normal range.
Apple
Adding more apples to your diet can greatly reduce your cholesterol level as well as your risk of cancer. They are loaded with antioxidants that can help protect your cells against free radical damage.
Lemon
For better immunity against diseases and a more efficient metabolism, make sure that your mean green juice has lemons. In addition to their health benefits, they can also make your juice a lot more refreshing.
Ginger
Ginger has this unique ability to lessen inflammation and soothe an upset stomach. It can also aid in better digestion.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, here are some of the easiest yet healthiest mean green juice recipes you can try.
Mean Green Juice Recipes
1. Joe Cross Mean Green Juice
Ingredients:
- 2 green apples
- 1 cucumber
- 4 celery stalks
- 1-inch piece of ginger
- 8 kale leaves
- 1/2 lemon
2. Popeye Potion
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cucumber
- A thumb size piece of ginger
- 2 apples
- 2 large fistfuls of spinach
- 1/2 lemon
Source: https://cateinthekitchen.co.uk/2014/06/08/popeye-potion/
3. Simply Green
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cucumber
- 3 kale leaves
- 1/2 lemon
- 3 celery stalks
- 2 Fuji apples
- 5 handfuls of spinach
4. Green Detox Juice
Ingredients
- 1 handful of spinach
- 10 sprigs of cilantro
- 1/2 lime
- 2 Fuji apples
- 2 kale leaves
- 1/2 head of Romaine
5. The Green Juice
Ingredients:
- 3 Swiss Chard Leaves
- 1 to 2 apples
- 2 kale leaves
- 1/2 cucumber
- 2 celery stalks
6. The Deep Green
Ingredients:
- 1 to 2 green apples
- 2 celery ribs
- 1/8 fennel blub
- 1 cucumber
- 6 collard leaves
- 1/2 lemon
7. Kale-Kiwi-Apple Juice
Ingredients:
- 3 kiwi fruits
- 1/2 to 1-inch ginger
- 1 bunch of kale
- 1 to 2 Fuji apples
7. Chard-Parsley-Orange Detox Juice
Ingredients:
- 8 to 10 parsley sprigs
- 1 apple
- 1/2 cucumber
- 2 oranges
- 2 Swiss chard leaves
8. The Refreshing Mean Green Juice
Ingredients:
- 2 cucumbers
- 1/2 to 1-inch piece of ginger
- 1 to 2 apples
- 1 handful of mint
9. The Hardcore Greens
Ingredients:
- 4 kale leaves
- 10 sprigs of parsley
- 2 celery ribs
- 2 handfuls of spinach
- 3 to 4 dandelion greens
- 1/2 lemon
10. The Clean Green
Ingredients:
- 1/8 fennel blub
- 3 pears
- 1 bunch of spinach
- 4 broccoli florets
- 1 zucchini
Benefits of Green Juice Diet
Drinking fresh green juices can provide the body with great amounts of minerals, vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants – all of which are essential for our health and wellbeing. In addition, green juices are full of chlorophyll, the same molecular structure as your body’s hemoglobin.
If you don’t already know, hemoglobin is a type of molecule that is responsible for transporting oxygen to the different cells and tissues of your body. Oxygen, needless to say, is a requirement for your cells to function properly and efficiently.
Chlorophyll can also work as a cleanser and natural detoxifier. At the same time, it reduces inflammation, regulates blood sugar, lowers cholesterol and boosts the immune system.
Since most diseases and illnesses thrive in a generally acidic environment, providing your body with a lot of alkalizing foods can reverse (or even prevent) certain diseases. And green juices, yep, you guessed it right – they are alkaline in nature.
Here’s where it gets interesting:
Apart from its benefits to your health, drinking a mean green juice can also help you lose weight. It greatly reduces your calorie intake and when you consume fewer calories, the faster you’ll be able to lose that extra few pounds.
The juice can also make you feel less hungry than usual, thanks to its fiber content. This is what helps in increasing the digestion time and slowing down the emptying of the stomach.
In Summary
Adding a mean green juice to your diet can have a huge effect on your overall health. It can boost your resistance against diseases and make the organs of your body function better and more efficiently.
However, there are a few caveats.
You can’t rely on mean green juices solely to receive all the essential nutrients and vitamins your body needs. You need to make sure you’re eating properly as well.
If you are in a juice fast, you can drink this mean green juice 4 to 6 times a day. During the process, you need to closely assess yourself. Weakness and fatigue are common side effects of going on a juice fast and they can affect your productivity and safety. So do it moderately, if you have to.
Last but not least, you cannot expect the juice to deliver all of its benefits right away. Although healthy, a mean green juice doesn’t work like magic. Drinking it consistently is key.